Drag racers from around the country have sent their entries in for the upcoming Nitro Up North At Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway, preparing for the biggest quarter mile extravaganza to ever hit the top end.
The good news is that if you haven’t already joined the party, the standard entry period has been extended until Sunday 26 June – as the HVDRA has given the late fee a knock on the head and want you to come and participate at Nitro Up North. Even if you just want to race your street car or bike there is a bracket for you and you will get to compete on the same race track, at the same event, as the amazing Top Fuel dragsters. To register just click here.
Hidden Valley Drag Racing Association president Scott Maclean urged racers to get their entries in now to assist in planning for the event, which takes place on July 8 and 9.
“Nitro Up North is going to be the biggest drag racing show Darwin has ever seen and everyone should be a part of it,” he said.
“Our event staff are all working double time to get this event ready to go and now all we need is you, the racer, to get on board and join us for the fun.”
Opportunities abound at Nitro Up North at all levels. As well as the pro categories, the event will also see the Summit Sportsman Series run in Darwin for the first time. This national championship, organised by the Australian National Drag Racing Association, sees sportsman competitors earn points in events across the country and gives them a chance at earning a national title. For the first time people from Darwin will be able to earn points at their home track.
“I don’t think we can overstate the significance of the Summit Sportsman Series coming to Darwin,” Maclean said.
“There’s a lot of honour and prestige in scoring these national points and Darwin could provide the leg up to a championship title. How cool would it be to see a bunch of national champions from the Northern Territory this season?”
Filling the ‘nitro’ component of Nitro Up North, the four quickest Top Fuel dragsters in Australia are ready to go with Rapisarda Autosport International’s Damien Harris and Wayne Newby leading the charge. Harris has just come off some insane performances, with his 10,000horsepower nitro-fuelled race car reaching 542kmh in just 4.57 seconds on a pass in Queensland. Meanwhile Newby is the quickest Australian driver on home soil, having clocked a 4.530 second run earlier in the year.
But seeking to reassert his authority will be Mark Sheehan’s Nitro Madman dragster. He was the quickest man in Australia – until Newby stole his title! This futuristic looking car will be aiming to take control of Nitro Up North.
And then you have the dark horse of Aaron Hambridge. He’s the least experienced when it comes to Top Fuel dragster driving but that sells him short, in reality he has spent years learning about what makes these cars tick and driving some of the wild beasts of drag racing including the Aeroflow Outlaw Nitro Funny Cars. And he will be at the wheel for one of the best teams in the country, making a comeback just for this event – Lamattina Top Fuel Racing.
Top Doorslammer already has an oversubscribed field with a few more entries expected to still arrive – the qualifying show will be just as exciting as race day as the competitors strive to make it into the eight car field. A bunch of new race teams have entered including the awesome Saratogas of Mark Chapman and Geoff Gradden as well as NSW stand out Sam Fenech. They will be joined by some of the living legends of Top Doorslammer racing in Australia including Grant O’Rourke, Mark Belleri, Gary Phillips and the return of Victor and Ben Bray to the top end.
Top Fuel Motorcycle sees high quality entries including three former national champions, namely Mark Drew, Chris Porter and Ian Ashelford. But the new kids on the block could steal the glory. Damian Muscat recently ran a personal best time of 6.35 seconds and has more than enough performance to take the trophy, while the man searching to become the ‘world’s quickest amputee’ – Ben Stevens – is rapidly closing in on the six second zone himself.
Dozens of racers are travelling from as far away as Victoria and Western Australia to compete against the Top End’s best drag racers. So get your entry in right here and be ready for Nitro Up North!
– Media release
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